Is there an industry‑wide EPD for triple glazing?

What we mean by “industry‑wide EPD” for triple glazing

Triple glazing is a three‑pane insulating glass unit with two sealed cavities. An industry‑wide EPD, sometimes called a sector average EPD, reports average impacts for the whole product category rather than one manufacturer’s product. It is useful as a baseline, yet it is by design conservative.

Europe: yes, a sector EPD covers triple IGUs

Germany’s flat glass association worked with ift Rosenheim to publish industry EPDs that include insulating glass units in both double and triple configurations. These are available as transferable “Muster‑EPD” that manufacturers can adopt under EN 15804 rules. See ift’s page listing the BF industry EPDs and the note that “Verbundsicherheitsglas und Mehrscheibenisolierglas (2‑fach und 3‑fach‑Aufbau)” are covered. citeturn2search1turn2search6

United States and Canada: no industry‑wide EPD for triple IGUs

As of December 11, 2025, there is no North American sector average EPD specifically for insulating glass units, triple or otherwise. The National Glass Association hosts an industry‑average EPD and PCR information for flat glass only, not IGUs, and confirms flat glass PCR timing separately. That means IGU makers typically rely on product‑specific EPDs in this region. citeturn4search0

Why the sector average is a floor, not a finish line

By definition, an industry‑wide EPD reflects average practice. Project teams using whole‑building LCA tools often apply conservative default values when a product‑specific EPD is missing, which can make your product look heavier than it really is. A product‑specific, third‑party verified EPD signals credible differentiation and keeps you in play on specs where generic values create penalties.

For context, the NGA industry average for flat glass was 1,430 kg CO2e per metric ton, while several manufacturers report lower numbers in recent EPDs, illustrating how product‑specific results can outperform an average baseline (CLF Baselines, 2025). (CLF, 2025)

Positive examples of product‑specific EPDs that include triple glazing

If you want to win on performance and transparency, follow peers who already publish product‑specific EPDs for triple IGUs or window systems offered with triple glazing.

Pilkington publishes a triple IGU EPD under the International EPD System, for example “Insulight Triple 4/12/4/12/4” under the flat glass c‑PCR. That is a concrete, product‑specific declaration you can benchmark against. citeturn0search1

Press Glass, a European fabricator, lists a triple‑glazed IGU with argon‑filled cavities on EPD Hub, again a product‑specific declaration. citeturn0search2

In North America, Viracon has a suite of product‑specific IGU EPDs published through ASTM’s EPD program. While not all are triple IGUs, they show a clear path for fabricators to publish specific makeups that match project reality. citeturn0search4

Window brands that sell triple‑glazed configurations, such as VELFAC and Rationel, also publish product‑specific EPDs for their assemblies, which can be advantageous when the spec is for a complete window system rather than a stand‑alone IGU.

How to use this insight in your commercial playbook

If you operate in Europe, the industry‑wide EPD for insulating glass units is a helpful near‑term bridge. It gets you into databases and helps meet EN 15804 expectations quickly. Yet it will still read like a conservative average, so a specific EPD for your triple IGU will position you better in competitive bids.

If you sell in the U.S. or Canada, there is no sector average for triple IGUs to lean on. That makes a product‑specific EPD even more valuable, since otherwise whole‑building LCAs will select cautious defaults. A verified, product‑specific EPD reduces that penalty and helps you stay on the shortlist.

Bottom line for triple glazing manufacturers

Sector averages help the market move, but they rarely help a single product stand out. A product‑specific EPD lets you showcase your actual glass makeups, spacers, coatings, gas fills, and plant data. It is the difference between being lumped into an average and being chosen for what your line truly delivers. Do not wait for a perfect moment, the ROI comes from earlier spec wins and fewer substitutions. And yes, getting the EPD done can be easier than it looks if the data workstream is run well.

Useful links to start from

• Germany, sector average for IGUs including triple glazing, via ift Rosenheim industry EPD pages. citeturn2search1turn2search6
• U.S. association resources and PCR status for glass. citeturn4search0
• Product‑specific triple IGU examples you can read now: Pilkington at the International EPD System, Press Glass at EPD Hub, and North American IGU EPDs listed by ASTM for Viracon. citeturn0search1turn0search2turn0search4

P.S. If you want a quick gut‑check of your likely advantage, compare your best triple IGU recipe against the flat glass industry average cited above. If your upstream glass and assembly processes beat that baseline, a specific EPD will probably pay back faster than many assume. It’s definately worth a closer look.